Railway-switch.



B. 'B. BETTS.

RAILWAY SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED DEC.'29, 191s.

. Patented. Jan. 22 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

B. B. BETTS.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC.29| 1913- Patented Jan. 22, 1918.,

lg mpwqa 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- BENJAMIN B. IBETTS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 191%.

Application filed December 29, 1916. Serial No. 139,594.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN B. lBnTTs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in railway switches and particularly to the construction of the switch point rails and the mountings for the running and switch point rails.

The object of my improvements is to construct the switch point rails and mountings for the running rails and switch point rail which will permit of the bases of the switch point rails being moved laterally over the base flanges of the running rails-to the end that a lesser sectional reduction of the switch point rails is obtained and the bases thereof will be co-extensive with their lengths, in order to obtain a maximum of rail body to withstand bending stresses in both lateral and vertical directions caused by rolling stock.

My invention consists in certain novel details of the construction, arrangement and combination of elements which will be fully, clearly and concisely set forth in my specification, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows in plan a fragment of a running rail, a fragment of a siding running rail, a switch point rail embodymg my 1mprovements and chairs constructed according to my invention for the support of the switch point rail and the running ra1ls.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line l l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 88 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 99 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals l1 designates the main running rail, and for purposes of this specification only I will describe the same as being a standard one hundred pound rail.

The numeral 12 designates the siding running rail which like the main running rail 11 will also be described as being a standard one hundred pound rail.

The numeral 13 designates the switch point rail, which except for its modifications adapting it for use as contemplated by my invention is, for example, a standard eighty pound rail.

In rail construction when there is a difference in weight there is a proportional variation in sectional dimensions, hence the running rails 11 and 12, of the one hundred weight have base widths and heights from the bottoms of the bases to the tops of the balls greater than the switch point rail of the eighty pound weight.

In order that the top surface of the switch point rail be maintained in the plane of the top surfaces of the main running rail and siding running rail, I construct a series of chairs provided, each, with seats at different elevations.

The chair 14, shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 10 is designed to support the main running rail 11, upon the seat 15, the end of the siding running rail 12 upon the seat 16 and the end or heel of the switch point rail 13 upon the seat 17. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be noted the rails 12 and 13 are not parallel with the rail 11, hence the shoulders 18 and overhanging flanges 19, which define the seat 15 for the main running rail are extended at a right angle to the body of the chair while the shoulders 20-20 which define the seat for the end of the siding running rail 12 are extended transversely of the chair body at an angle relative to the shoulder 18 and flange 19 of the seat 15.

The overhanging flange 19 provides means for securing the one base flange of the main running rail tothe chair while the other flange is secured by spikes 21, (shown in Fig. 10) extended through openings 22 formed through the chair body intersecting the shoulder 18. The end of the siding running rail is secured by spikes 23 (one only of which is shown in Fig. 10) extended through openings 24: formed through the ehairbody intersecting the shoulders 20. g

It is to be noted that the seat 16 extends for only a portion of the width of the chair and that the seat 17, occupies the remainder of the width of the chair. The seat 17 is defined by oppositely disposed overhanging flanges 25 whose lateral spacing is less than the lateral spacing of the shoulders 20 defining the seat 16, and which flanges serve as rail securing means for the end or heel of the switch point rail.

As clearly shown in Fig. 10 the seats support the ends of the two rails 12 and 13 with their bases in different planes to the end that the tread surfaces of their balls are maintained in like planes. It is to be observed also that the overhanging flanges 25 bear different lateral relationship with the shoulders 20 to the end that the one side surface of the ball of the switch point rail is approximately flush with the corresponding side face of the ball of the siding running rail.

The numeral 26 designates the chair (shown in Fig. 9) next the chair 14 and is arranged to support the running and switch point rails only. This chair has its seats 27 and 28 extending substantially the width of the chair, the seat 27 being in the plane of the body of the chair while the seat 28 oocupies a plane above and at one end of the seat 27. The seat 27 is defined at its side next the running rail by a shoulder 29, through which spike openings 30 are formed to receive spikes 31, (one only of which is shown) and at its opposite side (next the switch point rail) by a recess 32 formed in the end of the body of the seat 28.

Arising from the seat 28 and laterally spaced from the recess 32 is a shoulder 33 which limits movement of the switch point rail in a direction of the lateral strains inci- (lent to traffic, the surface of the seat being otherwise plane to permit free movements of the switch point rail. Extended through the chair at its end opposite the running rail are the openings 34% for the spikes 35 (one only of which is shown) which serve with the spikes 31 to secure the chair in place.

The numerals 36 and 37 designate the chairs next the chair 26, just described and as shown in Figs. 8 and 7 respectively, are identical with the chair 26 except for the 10- cations of their rail-bearing shoulders 38 on the chair 36 and 39 on the chair 37.

This difference of location of the shoulders 38 and 39 is occasioned by the difference in the lateral spacings of the switch point rail and the running rail at the points occupied by the two chairs. I

The numerals 40 and 4:1 designate the chairs next the chair 37 Figs. 6 and '5 respectively are of identical construction, and diifer from the chairs 26, 36 and 37 only by the omission of shoulders on the seats for the switch point rail, hence a detailed description is not deemed necessary.

the chair 41 and is identical therewith except for the length of its seat, as shown in Fig. l. y

At the point of location of the chair A2 the base flange of the switch point rail is moved in one position to engage the web of the running rail and for this reason the seat is extended to provide a continuous support for the switch point rail to its limit of travel as well as to bring the surface of the seat to approximately flush withthe flange of the running rail to obviate pockets that might provide lodgmentfor foreign matter to the interference in free movements of the base of the switch point rail over the base flange of the runningrail. V

The numerals 43 and 4A designate the chairs next the chair 42, the chair 44 being the last of the series and arranged for: the support of the point of the switch rail 13.

The last mentioned chairs are identical with the chair 42 just described except that and as shown in The numeral 42 designates the chair next their bodies are elongated to provide a bear- 7 engages and is held against lateral movement to the'end that the brace is maintained in position beneath-the ball of the running rail.

It is common in this art to employ a switch point rail of the same weight and sectional dimensions as the runningrail. hence in order that the switch point rail may be brought to lie beside the running rail with its ball in position to deflect wheel flanges from the running rail it is necessary to remove the base. of the switch rail from its margin next the running rail to a point beneath the web of the switch rail, which results in a sectional reduction leaving too little body at the point of connection between the base and web of the rail and which reduction frequentlyresults in breakage at this point due to lateralbending stresses produced by rolling stock.

By providing the chairs'as described with seats in different elevations I am enabled to employ a switch rail oflesser sectional dimensions'than the running rail and as clearly shown in Figs. 2 to 10 is provided messes with at least portions of both its base flanges underlying the entire length of the web.

By this arrangement also a great economy is effected in the reduction of a standard rail to adapt it to-be employed as a switchpoint. In this connection it is to be observed that the switch rail for nearly one-half its length is unaltered, while a switch rail of the same weight as the running rail would necessarily have to be sectionally reduced for nearly its entire length.

In Fig. 1 I show a fragment of a switch throwing means, which may be of any approved type and which constitutes with the flanges of the chair at the heel of the rail the sole rail securing means.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. An improvement in the art of railway switch construction comprising in combination a main rail, a siding rail and a switch point rail of less dimensions than either of the other rails, said switch point rail maintaining throughout its length one base flange and the major portion of the other base flange.

2. An improvement in the art of railway switch construction comprising in combination a main rail, a siding rail and a switch point rail of less dimensions than either of the other rails, said switch point rail maintaining throughout its length one base flange and the major portion of the other base flange, and a rail chair at the junction of a the siding and switch point rails having integral means for receiving and securing the heel of the switch point rail.

3. An improvement in the art of railway switch construction comprising in combination a main rail, a siding rail and a switch point rail of less dimensions than either of Copies of this patent may be obtained for the other rails, said switch point rail maintaining throughout its length one base flange and the major portion of the other base flange, and spaced supports along the switch point rail and common to the mam rail, having rail seats of different elevations, some of said supports having base flange engaging means to limit the movement of the switch point rail toward the main rail and the remainder of said supports permitting the shaped portion of one of the base flanges of the switch point rail to abut against the web of the main rail.

4;. An improvement in the art of railway switch construction comprising in combination, a main rail, a sidin rail and a switch point rail of less dimensions than either of the other rails, said switch point rail maintaining throughout its length one base flange and the major portion of the other base flange, and spaced supports along the switch point rail and common to the main rail, having rail seats of diflerent elevations, some of said supports having base flange engaging means to limit the movement of the switch point rail toward the main rail and the remainder of said supports permitting the shaped portion of one of the base flanges of the switch point rail to abut against the web of the main rail, and said supports having undercut recesses for receiving and securing one base flange of the main rail, and rail bearing shoulders for the other flange of the main rail.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN 1B. BET'IS,

Witnesses:

R. G. ERWIG,

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

